NEW DELHI: The Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (IIMA) has forged a tie-up with the Government of the United Arab Emirates to establish a new international campus in Dubai.
An MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) for the new IIMA Dubai campus was exchanged in Mumbai by IIMA Director Professor Bharat Bhasker and Helal Saeed Almarri, Director General of Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism.
The event was attended by several dignitaries, including Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, and Shri Piyush Goyal, Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Government of India.
The IIM A Dubai campus will be opened in Phases while the permanent facility is expected to be readied by 2029.
According to the official release, the IIMA Dubai campus will be developed in two phases.
In the first phase, the institute will operate from Dubai International Academic City (DIAC), a prominent higher education hub in the region.
Excited to share that we are expanding our global footprint with the IIMA Dubai Branch Campus at the Dubai International Academic City!
The MoU was signed between IIMA Director Prof @BhaskerBharat and HE Helal Saeed Almarri, Director General, Dubai’s Dept. of Economy & Tourism. pic.twitter.com/FhmNcEWQRj— IIM Ahmedabad (@IIMAhmedabad) April 9, 2025
In the second phase, land will be allocated for a permanent IIMA campus which is expected to be fully operational by 2029.
The initiative aims to promote world-class business education and innovation, said a press release issued by IIM-A.
“Dubai has emerged as a thriving global epicentre for innovation, investment, and entrepreneurship, making it the ideal location for us to establish our first international campus. Our objective is to provide high-quality management education to aspiring leaders in the Middle East and surrounding regions,” Professor Bharat Bhasker said.
1-year full-time MBA
The IIMA Dubai will offer a full-time one-year MBA programme which is tailored for global working professionals and entrepreneurs, with a focus on advanced management skills and leadership development.
Salient features
Applicants need to undergo a two-stage selection process based on valid GMAT or GRE scores (from the past five years).
Spread over five terms, the programme will provide rigorous academics and international exposure within an elite learning environment that mirrors the excellence of IIM Ahmedabad’s globally renowned MBA.
It will offer an extensive portfolio of electives, expanding ample scope for personalised learning and specialisation.
The admission process will start soon, and the first batch will begin in September 2025.